An Affair to Remember
by Chair4vr
Summary: When their brief affair over the Summer comes back to haunt her, Blair has to choose between her Prince Charming Nate, and Chuck, before her secrets come out and ruin everything she's worked for. N/B/C AU
1. Chapter 1

_So this is my newest fic, its centered around Blair and Chuck's forbidden romance. I'll using most of the season one storyline for the background; I just twisted it around for my fic. Jenny is a freshman when Blair is a senior. The rest of the past events will become known as the story goes on. Hope you like it._

Chapter 1- First Day Back

Nothing about today was good. It was the first day of her senior year, she should have been happy; she was queen. She had her boyfriend back. She would rule Constance Billard with an iron fist for her final year of reign before handing down the torch. But she wasn't happy. She hadn't been happy for the last two weeks if she was honest, and she knew why, but she couldn't think about it. Not now. She had to be perfect today, it was expected. And perfect girls didn't mope, or frown or wish more than anything they could just runaway from what laid outside their door. A world that was cruel and unforgiving, where eyes were constantly on her waiting for her to mess up so the could catalog it, but this was her world. She had even chosen it for herself, because she had truly believed it was what she wanted, he was what she wanted. But now everything was wrong. Yes, today would not be a good day.

She and Serena walked arm and arm to school; they entered the courtyard. Serena immediately spotted her Brooklyn boyfriend, Dan. She blushed and giggled as she waved to him. It was nauseating.

"Blair, do you wanna hang with me and Dan before school?" Blair cringed at the idea of spending her morning listening to Dan drone on about his latest short story.

"I can't, I have to go pick the new minions. Kati and Is have narrowed it down to ten, I have to pick the final four from the freshmen." Blair answered.

"Good, you love picking new minions!" Serena cheered.

"Yes, it'll be fun." Blair gave a small smile before making her way to her spot at the top of the met steps. She spotted the freshman already waiting ten steps down from where she took her rightful place. Blair had reviewed all their files and had already made her decision.

"I won't drag this out any longer than I need to. I'm sure you're all nervous and you should be. The four I pick will sky rocket up to greatness. You'll go to the best parties, date the most popular boys, and of course will earn spots on Gossip Girl's blog. The rest of you will spend the next foru years of your life in social mediocrity. I don't take my task in deciding your fates lightly. My choices are Camille Forbes, Sara Winchester, Megan Reese-Mitchell, and Jenny Humphrey. The rest of you can go." The lucky chosen looked as though every wish they'd ever made had come true. The other six looked broken and defeated. Quickly collecting their belonging and walking off, their heads hanging in shame. Blair directed her attention to the lucky four. "I expect you to meet here everyday before school and at lunch. Absences and tardies are grounds for dismissal. Kati and Is will give you your head bands." Blair picked up her purse and walked off to class.

Blair sat in her AP American Literature class staring out the window. Normally she was a very attentive student she was ranked number two out of all the girls, but lately nothing seemed to hold her attention, not until two figures emerged from the boys hall. Chuck and Nate didn't even try to be sneaky as they ditched class to smoke weed. She was sure it was what they were doing, it was all they seemed to do together lately and Blair didn't mind that. She watched their retreating figures disappear behind a building. It must have been nice to not have to care about anything.

"Blair!" Serena called as she walked up behind her in the hallway. "So I hear you picked Dan's sister to be in your group. Thank you so much."

"Its not a big deal, she did the calligraphy for my Kiss On The Lips party invites over the summer, it seemed fair."

"Since when do you care about fairness? You never let non-trust fund girls into your group."

"I didn't admit her for you, a girl like that is desperate. She'll do anything to please me, and that is a trait in a minion I very much like."

"Just don't torture her. I really don't want Dan to think you let her in just to screw with him."

"I don't care enough about Humphrey to mess with him."

"Thanks, I guess."

"No problem."

"Just try to be nice to her, ok."

"I am not going to treat her any differently than any of the other minions."

"That's why I said 'be nice to her'." Blair turned to Serena and frowned.

"I don't have time for this."

"Blair what's up? You've been all frowny-face all day. I get going back to school sucks, but it's our senior year. Why have you been so sad lately?"

"I'm not sad" Blair lied. "I'm just nervous, College is just around the corner and I've just been thinking a lot lately about everything and I don't now…"

"Getting nostalgic?"

"Yeah sure."

"Don't worry B, we still have the whole year!"

"Yes, we do. I have to go to class, I can't be late on the first day."

"Ok, see you at lunch?"

"Of course, S."

As Blair sat in her Economics class she heard the soft buzzing of her phone, she waited until the teacher's back was turned to the board and grabbed it out of her bag. She read the text.

_I need to see u_

_I'm in class _She responded.

_We need 2 talk_

_Well I can't right now_

_After skool in the library. B there_

_Fine_

She should have known this would happen, things had been too calm lately. The storm was approaching fast, and she'd already agreed to meet it after school.

As the final bell rang Blair made her way slowly to the library. It was completely empty except for a few freshmen picking up their books. Blair walked to the back by the classical fiction section. She was flipping threw a Jane Austen novel when she heard his footsteps. She didn't turn to look at him, she couldn't.

"You always did like the classics." His voice was velvety smooth.

"What do you want Chuck?" She didn't want to play this game.

"You know what I want. Its what I always want."

"Well is you came here looking for a quickie, you can dream on."

"But I don't have to dream, my memory works perfectly."

"Stop." It had been meant to come out like a command; instead her voice shrank into a whisper.

"I can't."

Blair turned to look at him, "Well you have to, and you can't text me to meet you places. We can't have secret rendezvous in the library. People will start to suspect something's up."

"Something is up."

"Not anymore, we can't do this."

"Why?"

"You know why. How can you be his best friend and do this? This thing between us, its over."

The tips of Chuck's fingers brushed her lips, before skimming across her jaw, and capturing a curl that had fallen out of place. He wrapped it around his finger and released it before cupping her cheek and pulling her face close to his. His lips hovered above her ear.

"Waldorf, we are nowhere near over." His lips dropped down placing a chaste kiss on her cheek, before stalking off. Blair's hand went up to where his lips had been; he had branded her. It was invisible to the rest of the world, but she could feel it, feel him. They would never be over, but they had to be because it wasn't the Bass diamond that would be on her finger after graduation.

If Blair had been more aware of her surroundings, instead of focused on Chuck she would have realized the familiar skinny, blonde freshman that stood in the library. She was just out of earshot, but sill able to see the intimate exchange between the Queen of Constance and a mystery man.

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	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2- Girl Talk/ Guy Talk

"Jenny, walk with us." Blair didn't ask, more stated, but Jenny would never refuse an offer to spend time with Blair as she walked around campus after breakfast on the steps.

"Of course." Jenny jumped up from her place on the last step with the rest of the freshmen. She fell into line three paces behind Blair, as Kati had instructed her. She hadn't mentioned to anyone, and especially not Blair, the fact she was witness to the Queen's intimate encounter with her boyfriend, or date? Jenny wasn't sure who he was. She knew she was suppose to have read all the Gossip Girl archives to become familiar with all the elite people at school, but she had gotten distracted. She had spent the whole summer making each invitation for Blair's party perfect, as well as looting through the vintage shops to find pieces to use. All the girls personalized their uniforms with designer cardigans and shoes. She had done her best with the things she could find, and had made them look quite hip and expensive if she did say so herself. The only problem with that was it had derailed her from learning the background story on all the popular boy's at St. Judes.

Jenny trailed cautiously behind Blair, trying to copy the confident way she walked, halfway between a strut and a prance. Suddenly they stopped at the courtyard.

Blair didn't understand how Chuck could stand there with Nate acting like everything was normal when just last afternoon he had cornered her in the library and made his intentions of getting with her again clear. She was considering just turning around and leaving when Nate saw her and nodded at her indicating he wanted her to come over.

"I've got to go say hi to the boyfriend, I'll see you guys later." Blair walked over to Nate and Chuck like she was walking to her execution. Each of her steps dragged on the floor.

"Ever since they got back together she and Nate are inseparable." Serena giggled ignorantly, turning to talk to Jenny.

"I can see why, he's really cute. I like his scarf." Jenny bubbled.

"Scarf?" Serena asked puzzled. "No that's Chuck, The blonde guy is Nate." Serena pointed out Nate in the courtyard as Blair walked gingerly up to him. "Why would you think she was dating Chuck?"

"I don't know. No reason." Jenny said a little to quickly, suddenly feeling like she hadn't just witnessed a private moment between a couple, but a secret. One she instantly knew she had to keep. The girls began walking again. "You said they just got back together. Why did they break up?" Jenny asked timidly not wanting to overstep.

"It's a long story…but I guess you'll find out anyway. Blair and Nate have dated since like the seventh grade. That's unheard of as far as teenage relationships go." Serena paused, "I don't want you to judge me because you're Dan's sister, and he already knows ok? I used to be kind of a party girl, and last year at winter break me and Nate were at the Shepard wedding and we got drunk and we kind of slept together." Serena took a moment to gage the young girl's reaction. Jenny just appeared to be processing the information, so she continued. "Well, after a couple months we couldn't keep it a secret any longer so we told Blair, and she totally flipped out, which is understandable."

"And that's when she and Nate broke up?"

"Well for like a day, then they got back together. They didn't really break up until like after finals when Blair found out that Nate thought he was like in love with me. He wasn't of course, he was just confused you know?"

"I guess."

"So they just got back together two weeks ago."

"Did they see anyone while they were broken up?"

"Nope, I mean I was with Dan at the time if that's what your thinking." It wasn't. Jenny didn't understand what she had seen in the library then.

"Who's Chuck exactly?"

"He's the biggest playboy on the Upper East Side. He'll sleep with anyone. Stay away from him Jenny, he just uses girls for sex and throws them away." Jenny was even more confused now; the description Serena had given her of Chuck didn't match the sweet boy who played with Blair's hair as he whispered romantic privacies in the brunette's ear.

"He and Blair are fiends?"

"Yeah, I mean we all are. We've known each other all our lives. Why do you ask?"

"Nothing, just curious." And Jenny was, she didn't understand the event she saw, but she knew enough not to repeat it.

Blair felt like she wanted to crawl out of her skin as she stood next to Nate, his arm wrapped around her waist as Chuck starred at her smirking. 'If looks could kill' was the only phrase Blair could think of to describe the way his eyes bore into her. This is why they didn't work. Everything was a game to him. Yesterday he said he wanted her, today he was torturing her. If he truly cared about her the way he claimed he wouldn't treat her like this, purposely making her uncomfortable to amuse himself.

Blair longed for the days when they were fourteen, Chuck sneaking them into some brand new club. Getting drunk off a single drink and dancing on the tabletops of Bungalow with Serena. Now everything was different and confusing and complicated and messy.

"So, I thought we could have lunch together today. What do you think?" Nate asked as he toyed with a curl of her hair. It didn't feel right. Nate playing with her hair, when just yesterday it had been Chuck who wrapped her silken curl around his finger.

She looked into Chuck's eyes; they were predatory. Being around Nate when Chuck was acting like this wasn't a good idea. Honestly, Blair wasn't even sure she wanted to be around him period. "Sorry, I can't." Blair said softly.

"Why not?" Nate asked confused.

"I have stuff to do. I have to go." Blair moved out of Nate's embrace and ran off as gracefully and quickly as she could.

"I don't know what's wrong with her lately." Nate huffed.

"Maybe its her time of the month."

"No I don't think so," Nate said seeming to actually consider the suggestion. "Ever since we got back together she's been totally weird. She never wants to hang out; she's always busy. I hate to say it, but I miss needy, controlling Blair. I don't get it."

"Dump her, I'm sure you can find a much more appreciative and experienced girlfriend." Chuck jeered, knowing full well Blair had been the best he'd ever had. He began to ponder all the many times and ways he'd had her.

"Dude, you don't even get it. I thought we were moving slowly before; she barely lets me touch her now. I'm lucky if we even make out now."

"My earlier solution still seems like a good option."

"No, I love her. I just wish she wasn't such a prude." Chuck had to stop himself from laughing, if his summer with Blair had shone him anything, it was that under the perfect façade was a fire that burned uncontrollably and with the lightest touch from him he could incite passion from her he'd never seen in anyone else.

"You guys have been dating since kindergarten. If she hasn't put out by now, I don't think she will. Once again, I say dump her."

"Hey where's my boy. You always used to be 'seal the deal, tap that ass'. What happened to me being entitled to it? I mean I've put in the man hours, I deserve the reward right?"

"True, but I fear your girlfriend is meant to become a nun or something." Chuck lied smoothly.

"Maybe she just wants to wait until like marriage or something."

"Do not consider marrying her just to get in her pants. You could throw a rock anywhere on campus, in the city for that matter, and find a girl willing to spread her legs for the Van der Bilt heir. God, Penelope's been giving you the eye since freshman year."

"I don't want to be with anyone else. I just want to be with Blair."

"That's really gay."

"How can it be gay if I want to be with my girlfriend."

"Passing up nailing models and slutty socialites to watch Breakfast at Tiffany's with Blair for the two hundredth time is super gay."

"You're gay."

"Good comeback Nathaniel. It's hard to believe you're at the bottom of your class with that cunning wit."

"Like you're a scholar or whatever."

"I refuse to study, show up to most of my classes or absorb any knowledge these people try to force on me, and I still have a C minus average. You're just to dumb to learn."

"Shut up. What I lack in book smarts I make up for in athleticism."

"And I'm sure lacrosse skills will help you manage a hedge fund like your dad."

"You're pissing me off. Do you wanna go smoke during first period or not?"

"Sure why not, I have Calculus next."

"Cool."

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	3. Chapter 3

Sorry for the late update. I've had total writer's block. Thank you so much for all your inspiration Guardian Izz!

Chapter 3: How the Tables Turn

Blair's apartment hummed with the conversations of those around her. She was surrounded in a sea of Upper East Side parents and children, on any other day Eleanor would have forced Blair to socialize, and Blair would have begrudgingly agreed. But today was different; today Eleanor had been trying to get Blair over to where she, Howard, and Anne Archibald stood in the far corner. Blair however couldn't get her body to walk over there, her mind knew her presence was being requested, or more demanded really, but her body was on mutiny and refused to comply. For once Blair happily made the rounds through the room making meaningless small talk with anyone she could find.

She was in a painfully boring discussion with the Mrs. Coates when she spotted Chuck entering. She couldn't stop looking at him. He wasn't supposed to be here. Nate had said Chuck wasn't coming, but here he was strolling in with his father. Blair inwardly sighed as she watched his every move. He walked like some kind of big jungle cat. His steps were smooth and fluid like a feline and distinctly predatory. He caught her stare and held her in it. Chuck smirked before moving towards her. Blair hated how her heart raced just seeing him approaching her.

Suddenly an arm hooked around her waist. She turned around in the embrace to see Nate smiling down at her.

"Come on babe, your mom wants you to come over." Nate's lips slipped into his heartbreakingly perfect smile.

Blair looked over her shoulder to see Chuck had stopped his approach and was now frowning at her. She needed to put as much space between herself and the volatile boy as possible, so she followed Nate over to where their parents stood.

"Found her." Nate said cheerily as he steered Blair over next to The Captain, Howie Archibald.

"Sorry I took so long. I didn't want to be a bad hostess." Blair lied as she plastered a perfect smile on her face.

"Well no one can fault you for being too polite. We're just glad we finally have you to ourselves." The Captain said with a huge smile.

"It's been so long." Anne said sweetly, taking Blair into a quick hug. "We haven't seen you since…all summer." Anne clearly wanted to avoid the topic of Blair and Nate's break-up. The Captain didn't pick up on it.

"Well we did lose you for a bit, but luckily Nate here was smart enough to recognize his mistakes. And you two kids are back together as it should be." Howard said giving Nate a light punch in the arm.

"I think we can all agree to that." Eleanor smiled.

"I know I do." Nate whispered into Blair's ear.

"Being apart just didn't seem to suite us." Blair said smoothly.

"You know when I look at you two kids, so young and in love I can't help but think of Anne and me at your age." Nate let out a soft chuckle; Blair simply smiled knowing where this discussion was heading. "You know we weren't much older than you two when we got married."

"Howard…" Anne said sensing the shift in mood in Blair.

"I mean whenever I look at that ring on Anne's little finger I can't help but see it on Blair's."

"It is a beautiful ring." Eleanor said adoringly, pleased with the discussion at hand.

"I mean it won't be too long till you and Blair will be walking down the aisle." Howard said proudly to his son.

"Well you know, that is really far away into the future…" Blair said shifting uncomfortably at Nate's side.

"Its not as far off as you think. I mean we don't expect you to get married until after college, but there's nothing like a nice long engagement."

"Oh… well" Blair's face began to grow hot.

"Howie, maybe we should talk about this another time, it's a party after all." Anne said sweetly to her husband.

"Exactly, and the engagement of our beautiful kids is something to be celebrated."

"I agree." Chimed Eleanor.

"Dad, cool it. We have plenty of time to talk about this. We're not engaged yet." Nate said his grasp on Blair growing firmer.

"Yet…" Blair whispered to herself. So many times when her future had been brought up with Nate, he had gotten uncomfortable and changed the subject or just left, and now he was throwing around 'yets' like their impending marriage was completely fine with him. Blair used to dream about him wanting to marry her as much as she had wanted to marry him, but now it all felt wrong. "Excuse me, I have to go check on something." Blair said unwrapping herself from Nate's embrace and stalking off across the room to the balcony.

"Is she alright dear? Maybe you should go check o her." Anne said concerned for the girl she'd thought of as almost a daughter since Blair was twelve and went with the Archibald family to the Van der Bilt compound.

"She's fine. Just Blair being a perfectionist." Nate said sipping his drink. Anne's eye's trailed Blair until she disappeared into a cluster of guests.

Blair slammed the door to the balcony behind her, her frame collapsing against the door. Blair frantically pulled at the high collar of her dress, she couldn't breathe. All of the sudden her huge foyer had seemed impossibly small and crowded, and now Blair couldn't breathe. It didn't feel like the panic attacks she'd had before, but those had been about her parents' divorce, or finding out about Nate and Serna. This felt more like suffocation, slow but sure and she didn't understand why. This was what she wanted, wasn't it? Nate was finally being positive and proactive about their future. However it all felt so forced and unnatural now.

Blair walked over to the railing a starred down at the street, there were cars and people and the sound of the city buzzed around her ears. Blair looked at the empty sidewalk. She slipped off the ruby ring Nate had given her for their two-year anniversary. Before she could process her actions, the ring was falling down through the air, gliding down to the city. She couldn't hear the clink, but she saw it on the street as the gem captured the sunlight reflecting it in a small bright dot against the gray ground.

"What did I just do?" Blair yelled at herself as reality came crawling back.

"I don't know what?" Serena's bubbly voice asked from behind Blair.

"Nothing." Blair blurted as she whipped around to face the blonde, hiding her hand behind her back.

"What are you doing out here? There's a whole room of people in there wanting nothing more than a chance than to talk to THE Blair Waldorf."

"Very funny." Blair said softly. Serena's smile fell as she looked at her friend.

"B, what's wrong. You're doing that frowny-face thing again."

"Nothings wrong, I just needed some air." Blair looked down at her shoes unable to look into Serena's eyes and lie to her right now.

"Blair, I can tell something's up. Talk to me." Serena pleaded.

"Things are just getting really real."

"Is this about college again because I told you…"

"God Serena, this isn't about college! It was never about college. I am freaking out, because I have zero control over my life! And you know I used to be fine with that because I thought what had been picked out for me was what I wanted… but now." Blair snapped.

"Now what? I don't understand."

"Of course you don't. You're biggest concern is where you and Dan will go tonight."

"B, just explain it to me, we've always told each other everything."

"I can't, not this time, some secrets have to be kept that way."

"Why can't you tell me your secrets?"

"Because you would share them." Blair said calmly, looking Serena directly in the eye.

"Why would you say that?"

"Because its what you do, the only secrets you've ever been able to keep are your own and even then you always ended up telling me. That was fine before, because I've never had many secrets of my own and the ones I did, didn't matter…"

"But this one matters."

"Yes." Blair breathed.

"I'm your best friend, if you can't tell me, who can you tell?"

"No one. And that's how I like it."

"Blair…"

"I should head back the party." Blair moved towards the door. Serena reached out and grabbed Blair's arm. Serena looked at Blair and saw no trace of wavering in the brunette's dark eyes. Serena sighed and let go of Blair's arm and let her friend pass by her.

Blair starred down at her shoes as she made her way through the hallway. She soon found herself colliding with a strong body when she looked up it was Chuck. 'Why does God hate me?' Blair asked herself.

"Blair we need to talk now."

"No." Was all she offered before maneuvering around him and joining Nate and her mother. She turned back to see Chuck as Nate told an amusing anecdote to Eleanor. Chuck looked so lonely, standing in the doorway starring at her, and wanted to go comfort him and make him smile like she used too, but it wasn't her place. Not anymore, and perhaps it never had been. Perhaps she had always been meant to be Nate's. Perhaps Chuck was just a fleeting distraction and their fling together would soon be forgotten, but the words even sounded fake in her head. Something about the way he looked at her, something about the way it made her heart stop for a moment, told her Chuck Bass was never one to be forgotten.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Kiss On The Lips

"B you look beautiful!" Serena gushed, as Blair fixed her curls. Blair was supposed to wear an over the top lacey white frock from Eleanor's new collection, but Blair had decided to switch dresses at the last minute. Her dress was a floor length black number with a corset top that accentuated Blair's perfectly sculpted curves. The dress was far more daring and sexy than anything the brunette had ever worn before, but for once Blair wanted to be the center of attention, she wanted to be the girl that every guy panted after. She wanted to feel for one night the way Serena felt everyday.

"Thanks S. You don't thinks its maybe too…"

"Hot? You are gonna turn every girl there into a wallflower, no one will be able to take their eyes off you."

"Well, it is my party. I suppose its only fair."

"Tonight is gonna be so amazing!" Serena began to bounce up and down in her red Valentino gown like a little girl.

Blair starred at her friend in the mirror as she fussed with her curls for the hundredth time. She'd never be like Serena, no matter what she wore. She'd never be as tall, or as blonde, or as carefree or as spontaneous and fun. But tonight Blair would pretend, she'd pretend to be as fun and carefree as Serena. She would laugh, and dance, and drink her body's weight in champagne and for one night she would forget all the disappointments that lined her future.

"We should go, there's a fine line between fashionably late and being an atrocious hostess."

"Tonight's your night B. Smile!" Serna giggled. Blair took in a deep breath and put on the most delightfully happy smile she could manage.

Nate was a perfect gentleman. He opened the door of the town car for her. Blair had refused to let him rent a limo, for obvious reasons. Reasons Nate was oblivious too, much like how he didn't have a clue as to why Blair refused to join Chuck and the rest of their crew in his limo. But when they got there, he led her in by the small of her waist, and he smiled at the photographers who took their pictures for the society section. He got Blair her favorite kind of Martini. Nate was an absolutely perfect date in every aspect. But perfect didn't seem to suite Blair the way it used to. Every smile she sent was fake, every laugh was forced, and when he kissed her softly on the lips when no one was looking, something that used to make her heart race and her palms sweat, she felt nothing. No spark, no flame, and definitely no fireworks. Finally Nate got drunk enough to leave her alone to go smoke with his friends. Then she saw him.

She looked from the V.I.P. lounge down to the dance floor and saw him with some skank she knew from Constance. Her name was Kristy or Crystal. Blair didn't care. 'What does he think he's doing! Coming to my party, and hitting on that bitch when he's supposed to be fighting for me!' Blair screeched inside her hair. She wanted to kill them both. Banish the little twit and destroy Chuck. But she couldn't. She knew that, but her body had pulled a mutiny again.

Blair couldn't stop herself. Her feet had a mind of their own, and that mind was screaming walk over to Chuck Bass and that slut as fast as possible. Blair pushed threw the crowds of people, her eyes fixed on the couple.

"Excuse me." Blair said threw gritted teeth. Chuck just turned and glared at her. 'The nerve!'

"Oh hey Blair, great party!" The skinny blonde said.

"What do you want Waldorf?" Chuck said scowling. 'Where does he get off being mad at me?'

"Only a moment of your time Bass." Chuck just starred at her. "Now." Blair clarified. Blair turned and walked over to the empty hallway at the far side of the club. She heard his distinct footsteps follow her. Blair whipped around to glare at him as they entered the secluded space.

"What the hell do you think your doing?" Chuck nearly growled.

"What am I doing? What are you doing? Trying to sleep with one of my reject freshman at _my_ party!"

"I'm Chuck Bass. Its what I do."

"Are you doing this to make me jealous? Because it's not going to work."

"I'm pretty sure it already has. I was just talking to that girl and you couldn't stand it."

"Going from sleeping with me to sleeping with her is completely down grading."

"Sleeping with anyone else after you would always be down grading Waldorf. But lucky for you no one knows we were ever together so you don't have to worry about either of our reputations."

"I _don't_ want you sleeping with her."

"You _don't_ get to give input."

"You are heinous and completely infuriating."

"And you're fucking crazy! What are you doing Blair? Go back to Nathaniel, you made it perfectly clear you want to spend the rest of your life with him!"

"I never said that!"

"You have been saying you two were meant for each other since you were five. I got the message loud and clear!" Chuck roared. Thankfully the music of the club drowned out the pair's screaming match.

"Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!"

"Go to hell Waldorf!" Chuck yelled moving so he was standing right in front of her, their bodies almost touching.

"Screw you!"

"Don't make an offer you can't follow through with." Chuck moved closer to Blair, she took a step back and found herself pinned against the janitor's closet door.

Blair's breath grew heavy as his cologne intoxicated her, the heat of his body radiated through his Armani suit.

"What are you doing?" Blair breathed, knowing full well where this was heading, and honestly not wanting it to stop.

"You made the offer, I'm just accepting it." He whispered as his hand reached behind her grabbing the door knob and turning it. Blair stumbled into the dark closet. She heard the click of the door as Chuck locked it.

"We shouldn't do this." Blair stated as Chuck pinned her body up against the wall.

"Ok tell me to stop, and I'll leave and you can go find Nathaniel and go take care of him for the rest of the night." Chuck's dipped his head, his lips gently sucking on the nape of Blair's neck. Blair's blood was boiling, and every part of her body was screaming to let this happen, every part except the small voice in the back of Blair's head that reminded her she was with Nate. She was supposed to marry Nate, but Blair figured her body hadn't been listening to her mind for the past few days, why start now?

Blair's hands dove into Chuck's thick hair, pulling his head so she could capture his lips in a searing kiss she had longed for since they had ended their arrangement. Chuck's hands were greedy and urgent as he hiked up Blair's dress. He wrapped one hand around her waist as the other fished through his wallet for a condom. When he found it Blair pulled away from his tight embrace to undo his belt. Her legs wrapped around his waist as he pressed her back against the wall.

They had slept together so many times before. This time had been more frantic then the other's. They had never felt rushed before, but now they knew that soon reality would set in and they would have to deal with what they had done. But for now they had this and they were both determined to make the most of it.

Blair stood shakily on her legs, trying to regain her balance. She smoothed her skirt, and fixed her tussled curls, stealing secret glances at Chuck as he zipped up his pants and adjusted his bow tie.

"That was…" Blair quickly cut off Chuck.

"A mistake." She said strongly. "It was a crime of passion, and it was a mistake, and it doesn't leave this closet."

"Blair…"

"No. I'm not going to be the girl that has an affair."

"If you broke up with him…"

"We both now that isn't an option. I'm also not going to be the girl that discusses this any further. I'm going to leave and you'll wait five minutes, make sure the coast is clear and do the same."

"This is ridiculous."

"This is how it is. You knew this was how it would end when you started it, so don't pretend to be surprised."

"You're a really cold bitch."

"You say it like that's a new aspect of my personality." Blair set her features into an emotionless mask and exited the closet.

She found Nate completely stoned and doing shots with the lacrosse team. Blair sighed and went over to him trying not to let the guilt at what she had done, or the pain at knowing it could never happen again, show on her face.

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	5. Chapter 5

Sorry for the late update. Hope you enjoy!

Chapter Five: The Morning After

It had been a normal Sunday morning. Jenny had woken up, showered, gotten dressed, and left her room to enjoy her father's famous waffles. She hadn't expected Serena to be cuddling with her brother on the couch as they fed each other breakfast.

"Oh, hey Serena. I didn't know you'd be here." Jenny said timidly.

The leggy blonde looked up, "I had to run an errand and I thought I'd come visit Dan first to say hello. I didn't realize I'd end up staying for breakfast." Serena giggled.

"I can be very persuasive." Dan whispered to Serena.

"Wait, what time is it?" Serena asked shifting away from Dan.

"It's a little past nine." Jenny answered.

"Oh crap! I was supposed to drop off the dress I borrowed from Blair half an hour ago."

"What dress did you borrow from Blair?" Dan asked.

"It was that conservative one I wore when we visited your mom in Hudson. I have to go." Serena leant over giving Dan a good-bye kiss.

"Don't go. Can't she wait another day?"

"It's a Waldorf original, she's gonna be pissed if I don't return it before her mom gets back from Paris today."

"We haven't even finished breakfast."

"I can drop it off for you." Jenny interjected.

"Really, you wouldn't mind?" Serena asked excitedly, cuddling up further with Dan.

"Of course not. I'd love to help you." Bubbled Jenny, fearing the word 'honored' would be too much.

"Ok, thanks. Here's her address, the doorman will let you up." Serena grabbed a pen off the coffee table and scribbled Blair's address on it before handing it to Jenny.

"Ok, I'll bring it over right now!" Jenny ran into her room grabbing a headband, sliding it into place, as she took her purse and the garment bag out of her apartment.

"Some times it scares me how obsessed she is with trying to get Blair and those girl's to like her..." Dan said as Jenny pulled the front door shut.

"She just wants to be liked, not everyone is perfectly happy being referred to as 'Lonely Boy' or 'Hey Guy Move'. She wants to make a name for herself, there's nothing wrong with that."

"It's self-absorbed and shallow. I mean those girls are completely evil."

"Hey those are my friends." Serena defended, "Well at least Blair is."

"Blair is the worst out of all of them. She's totally manipulative."

"She's my best friend. You can't talk about her that way."

"I'm sorry." Dan said throwing Serena an apologetic smile. "I'm just worried about my little sister."

"Its ok. Blair really is a good person, deep-down."

Blair sat impatiently in her living room flipping through a copy of Vogue, waiting for Serena to finally drop off the dress. The elevator doors dinged open, and Blair turned expectantly to see her blonde friend. Instead Chuck walked through the metal doors. Blair outwardly groaned as she glared at him.

"You don't seem happy to see me." Chuck smirked.

"That's because you know you're not allowed to be here. Leave. Now." Blair got up swiftly from the couch and marched up the stairs. She grew more furious when she heard his footsteps following her. Blair tried to slam her bedroom door in his face, but he stopped it mid swing.

"Taking me to your bedroom already. Some one's eager for a repeat performance." Chuck drawled as he pushed the door the rest of the way open, striding past Blair.

"I have no idea what you're referring to." Blair snapped.

"Let's not play this game. We both know you remember what happened. Its kind of hard to forget how I nailed you against the…"

"Stop it, or I will call security. I made it perfectly clear last night, whatever that was, was a mistake. One I fully regret."

"And what about all the other times? You didn't seem to regret those."

"I didn't have a boyfriend then. You know, Nate's actually coming over in a little while, so you should go."

"I'm not leaving till we sort this out."

"It will never happen again. We'll pretend it never did. There, all sorted!" Blair yelled.

"Just like how we pretend last summer never happened, right?"

"Exactly."

"We were together, and last night we slept together. You can't keep choosing which parts of your life you get to address."

"Yes I can! As far as I'm concerned we were never anything!" Blair screamed. She was taken aback when Chuck didn't immediately retaliate. He had a curious look in his eyes as he looked past her. "Oh god, are you stoned already? It's barely nine thirty." Chuck ignored the jab.

"Who's that?" Chuck asked pointing over Blair's shoulder. Blair turned around to find herself looking at meek little freshman Jenny Humphrey.

"I'm sorry. I'm so, so, so sorry. Serena wanted me to…" Jenny sputtered backing away.

"Jenny, What are you doing here?" Blair asked coldly, advancing on Jenny.

"I had to bring over this dress for you. I'm sorry. I didn't hear anything." Jenny blurted frantically, seeing the rage brewing in Blair's eyes.

"Chuck, I think its time you leave." Blair said not letting her eyes leave the scared girl.

"I can show myself out." Chuck smirked as he walked past the two girls.

"Jenny, go sit down in the living room. Now." Barked Blair. Jenny starred at Blair unable to move her limbs as fear paralyzed her body. "I said now Jenny!" Jenny scampered off as quickly as she could. Blair took a minute to compose herself before heading down to the living room.

"What did you hear Jenny?" Blair interrogated towering over the girl.

"Nothing…I'm so sorry."

"Cut the bullshit. WHAT. DID. YOU. HEAR. JENNY?"

"Just about you guys dating over the summer…and hooking up last night. But I could have misheard."

"Its not what you think."

"I'm sure it isn't and even if it was I'm in no position to judge you."

"That's right, you really aren't in any position at all. What is it about you Humphrey's? You both have an amazing gift for putting your noses where they don't belong."

"Blair, it was an accident. Serena just asked for a favor."

"How did you even get up here?"

"Your doorman let me up."

"I'm having him fired. First Chuck, then you."

"Blair, I'm really…"

"Sorry. Yeah, I heard it the first hundred times, now shut up. I need to think." Blair began to pace back and forth in front of Jenny, trying to think of how to solve this problem. She turned to look at the gangly, young girl. "I know that look. I've seen people give it to Serena a thousand times. You think I'm a slut."

"No I don't I promise."

"You don't get it. My life isn't perfect. Nate isn't perfect. I'm not perfect. I made a mistake!" Blair was bordering on hysterics as everything she had been keeping secret flooded out.

"Look when I saw you guys in the library…"

"You saw us in the library?"

"Yes, but I didn't hear anything that time."

"Why haven't you told anyone? Why didn't you take a picture and send it to Gossip Girl or blackmail me into moving you up in the ranks?"

"What kind of person would do that?"

"I would. I have on several occasions. Its how I got to be queen sophomore year." Blair said sitting down next to Jenny. "I destroyed the current Queen's life, she transferred schools for the last semester of her senior year. I suppose its only fitting you'd do the same to me."

"I would never do that to you. I like you Blair."

"I've hurt so many people, I've lied to practically everyone I know, and now I'm confiding in a freshman I hardly know. I don't know if you've noticed, but I'm not a very good person

"I don't think you're a bad person Blair."

"Like I care what you think." Blair scoffed; then she turned to Jenny, examining her. "But just hypothetically, if I did care what you thought of me. What would that be exactly?" Blair asked in desperate need to hear from someone that she wasn't a complete monster.

"I think you're a girl who has everyone she knows constantly wanting things from her, and wanting her to be certain things and I think it sucks and its not fair."

"It totally sucks." Blair exhaled, slumping into the couch.

"I won't tell anyone, I promise." Jenny said with the truest sincerity. "I have a question though?"

"What?"

"Do you love Chuck?" Blair grew silent as she was forced to come face to face with the one question she had been avoiding.

"Its irrelevant."

"How can you say that?"

"Because it's the truth. My life plan is set in stone, and no one will let me break it. It doesn't matter that I love Chuck." It was the first time she had said those words aloud, she hadn't even thought them before.

"I don't really know Chuck or Nate, but they both seem like good guys that care about you, so the only thing that matters is who do you love?"

Blair exhaled loudly, "Thank you for bringing me the dress." Blair said composing herself again.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't be prying."

"I think we're past the point of prying, but this really isn't a conversation I want to have with anyone…"

"Much less your newest minion. I promise I won't tell anyone."

"I'll see you tomorrow Jenny. But do remember, if you breathe a word of this to anyone, I'll have you permanently banished to Brooklyn."

Jenny gulped, "I understand Blair."

"Good." Blair gave a curt nod before pressing the elevator button.

"Bye Blair." Jenny got up and went into the elevator.

The doors closed and Blair was left alone with the ashes of the morning, and no clue what to do. Luckily Chuck was already at The Palace deciding for her.

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	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6: What's an Ultimatum Between Friends?

Blair sat perched upon the Met Steps as all her subjects chattered amongst themselves about tests, and guys. Blair couldn't help but think how simple they all were. They just wanted the cute soccer player to ask them out. Blair was currently trying to deactivate the bomb that was Chuck. He was threatening to explode and cause World War III. Blair knew it wouldn't just be a simple falling out if her and Chuck were discovered. She'd be ousted from her throne. St. Judes would be divided into the Archibald and the Bass followers, that division would tear Constance in two as well. Blair wished she didn't have to have become involved with the two most popular guys in school. Maybe she should have played it like Serena, if she cheated on Dan no one would care. Everything would move along as it always had. Frankly, people would expect it, but Blair. She wasn't allowed to cheat, or ever falter. She had to be perfect to be queen, and she had come quite close, but now… Now everything she had worked for since she was a freshman could burn up right in front of her, and who would stand by after she was no longer Queen? Blair wasn't naïve enough to think any of these girls, excluding Serena, actually cared for her, but she didn't care for them so it was only fair. They feared her, they were envious of her, and even though little Jenny Humphrey promised to keep her mouth shut, Blair couldn't let her guard down for a second. No matter how sweet or doe-eyed the girl came off as, Blair had seen first hand how the Upper East Side brought out the worst in people. And the rest of her minions had already experienced that transformation from Bambi to bitch.. They were vultures, just waiting to pick at the remains of Blair Waldorf.

She spotted him as he rounded the corner, without Nate at his side she thanked. He stopped directly across from her and smirked. He began to walk up the many steps to greet her. Blair saw Jenny become outwardly tense. Jenny turned to Blair looking as if she'd start hyperventilating. Blair raised her eyebrow at the blonde threateningly, which seemed to stop her panic attack. Jenny fixed her eyes down on her shoes.

"Blair, I need a word." Chuck said, his signature smirk in place.

Calm down, she told herself. He had requested to speak with her many times in the past; no one would find it suspicious. Blair took note how several of her minions began to stick out their chests and flip their hair flirtatiously, as the notorious playboy approached. Blair wanted to tear their hair out, banish them, but that _would_ look suspicious. Dismissing girls for hitting on a boy that wasn't and never had been and never would be her boyfriend would peek the interest of all her nosy vultures.

Blair stood up calmly and walked with him down enough steps that they were out of earshot.

"What is it Bass?"

"Calm down Waldorf."

"I don't have time for your little games today."

"Going to run off to see Nathaniel? I'm afraid he's already ditched to go get high with Carter Baisen while he's in town."

"That doesn't change the fact I don't want to talk to you. I said everything I had to say yesterday. Don't ask for me again." Blair turned and strutted back up the steps.

"This isn't over Blair, I'll be seeing you later." Chuck called at her retreating figure.

Blair looked up at the sky; the clear blue had grown dark and gray as heavy clouds rolled in. It truly was the end of the summer, however what happened then didn't seem to go away with the sun and heat. No the secrets got to linger, but Blair knew nothing ever stayed a secret for very long, especially if Chuck Bass didn't want it too.

He strolled into her penthouse like he owned the place, owned her. "Chuck, why are you here?" Blair asked angrily as she walked toward him.

"Why do you ask questions you already know the answers to?"

"Why do you come places you know you're not welcome?"

"But if I recall, I was always very welcome to come here." The double meaning was not lost on Blair as he leered at her. Blair glared at him for his vulgar remark.

"You can't talk to me that way, I'm Nate's girlfriend."

"And when did a boyfriend ever stop me from hitting on a pretty girl."

"Nate's, Chuck. I'm Nate's girlfriend. It's different, don't pretend you don't care about that because I know you do."

"You had stopped being Nate's girlfriend for exactly thirty minutes before I had you writhing beneath me in the back of my limo."

"That's enough. No more comments! We agreed the day after me and Nate got back together, we would pretend we never happened. Bringing up the fact that we did what we did all the time isn't following that agreement."

"You know I've always been a rule breaker."

"What do you want Chuck?" Blair asked, for what felt like the hundredth time.

"Again with the questions you already have the answers to."

"You can't have me if that's what you want. You know that. Nate would never forgive you."

"Yes he would, not right away, but he would. I'm Chuck Bass, I'm sure he's prepared for this from me. You on the other hand, he would never forgive you. He'd never be able to look at you, or touch you again."

"Don't do this."

"I'm not doing anything…yet."

"What does that mean?"

"It means I don't appreciate hearing about you and Nathaniel all the time, and I loathe seeing you two together even more."

"We can't hide from you all the time."

"No you can't. So there really is only one solution."

"No." Blair said defiantly as clarity dawned on her.

"See, I knew you'd know the answer."

"I won't do it."

"Yes you will, you'll break up with him. You'll say you've grown apart, I don't care how you explain it just leave me out of it, but I want it done by the end of the week."

"You can't be serious."

"I'm entirely serious. The sight of you two together turns my stomach, and it's your fault, so you have to atone for it."

"I thought you hated ultimatums."

"I've grown a fondness for them since the last time one was proposed to me."

"This isn't fair."

"Yes it is actually, if I have to be miserable, then so do you. But if you should ever want some company I'd be happy to oblige."

"You disgust me." Blair sneered turning away from him to look out the window.

"You're really in no position to be throwing out insults. I'd mind your manners around me if you know what's good for you."

"Just leave."

"As you wish." She waited until she heard the elevator ding with his departure to let out the breath she'd been holding.

Raindrops rolled down her window as she stared at the gray city. The last time it had rained this bad had been exactly twenty-two days ago. Blair remembered every moment of that day perfectly.

_She arrived at Chuck's suite that afternoon soaking wet. "Blair what are you doing here? I thought we were meeting for dinner."_

"_Nate came to see me today" Blair didn't waist anytime with small talk._

"_Why would he do that, you guys haven't talked all summer?"_

"_I don't know why he came over, but he did." _

"_And what exactly did he say?" Chuck asked growing instantly tense as the thought of Nate alone with Blair became the center thought on his mind._

"_He said a lot of things." Blair averted her eyes, she had come here to talk to him about her and Nate's conversation, but now as she stood across from his probing gaze she wanted to talk about anything else._

"_Care to specify."_

"_He said, he's been thinking a lot over the summer…"_

"_Nate thinking? I find that hard to believe."_

"_Can you please listen to me?" Chuck motioned for her to continue, "He said he loves me, he wants us to be together again."_

"_Why would he say that, you guys have been broken up all summer? He didn't mention this to me."_

"_Well he was sailing all summer, he's actually lucky he ended his trip yesterday, the rain outside is insane, I mean it's august…"_

"_You're digressing."_

"_He said he misses me." Blair said jumping back to her point._

"_Why would you tell me this?"_

"_I thought you'd want to know, I mean you are my…" Blair trailed off; in the two months they had been together they had never once labeled what they were doing._

"_I'm your what?"_

"_I don't know. What do you think we are?"_

"_Don't turn this around on me. I don't want to have one of those cliché relationship talks."_

"_Well don't you think we should discuss what we are now that…"_

"_Now that Nathaniel wants you back?" Chuck cut in._

"_Not just because of that, schools starting I think we should be clear on what we are."_

"_Bullshit, if this is you trying to give me an ultimatum it won't work."_

"_Who said anything about an ultimatum? I just want to have a discussion about where we are, its what couples do."_

"_So now we're a couple?"_

"_Why are you being like this Chuck?"_

"_Being like what?"_

"_All weird, you're freaking out."_

"_Maybe I'm being 'weird' because you're trying to use your golden boy Nathaniel to trap me into a relationship with you."_

"_Well I'm glad I know being my boyfriend would feel like a trap."_

"_So now I'm your boyfriend!"_

"_No Chuck, you're not my anything." Blair's voice was cold._

"_Exactly, this summer was fun, so go run back to Nathaniel he always did have a thing for used goods." That one cut Blair like a knife, the wound made from Serena's betrayal was still fresh._

"_Go to hell Bass."_

"_I'll see you there Waldorf." Blair ran out of his apartment feeling the tears burn her eyes._

Blair pulled the blinds over the window to cover up the dim gray light. She was surprised it had taken Chuck this long to start threatening to expose her. When Chuck was a young boy he used to never let anyone play with his toys, and that was what she was to him. She was something he played with and coveted, but his feelings were superficial, not like hers. He could never care about her, how could he? He didn't even know what it meant to love someone. He only knew jealousy, a barbaric and simple emotion, and when combined with unlimited resources and power it wouldn't end well for Blair if she disobeyed him. She hated that she had to succumb to his demands. It wasn't losing Nate that bothered her as much as losing to him.

Hope this chapter didn't make you dislike Chuck. I was inspired by the plotline of Season One, when Chuck returns from Monaco. Hope you liked this chapter, but remember Chuck may think he's won, Blair Waldorf never loses.


	7. Chapter 7

Sorry for the late update. Hope this chapter was worth the wait.

Chapter 7: The Unlikeliest of Sources

This time she's the one that strolls into his penthouse smirking deviously. She guides herself to his study where she knows he'll be. She right of course. Chuck sits slumped in a large leather chair sipping his signature glass of scotch. She stops in front of him and smirks with satisfaction as she runs through her speech once more in her head.

He's surprised to see her here, but he doesn't let it show. That would give her even more satisfaction, and he can already see the pride in her eyes. He should have known she wouldn't just dump Nathaniel. She always had to make everything difficult. He slowly straightens himself in his chair, preparing himself for what she has to say. He knows it won't be what he wants to hear, but at least she's speaking to him.

"Come to share the good news, Blair?" He asks with false cockiness, groaning inside.

"Yes, but I doubt its good news for you."

"Do tell." He eggs her on, just wanting this conversation to come to its inevitable end. He wishes she'd just say it, rip the band-aid off, and tell him how she's beaten him. He knows she won't get it over with quickly. Blair always had a flare for theatrics.

"I thought a lot about your proposal the other day, and your right. If Nate knew he'd never forgive me." Chuck nods, a brief hope she might have actually ended it, and his plan worked flashing through his mind. "But then I realized, I could just deny it."

"Deny it, really? That's your genius plan?" He chuckles, his former sense of defeat lifting.

"Think about it Bass. Who's he going to believe: you, a guy who'll sleep with anything in a skirt, or me, his honest and loyal girlfriend of many years? He knows you've never approved of our relationship. He'll think you made it up to drive us apart. And then he'll hate you for trying to ruin his happiness."

"I'll prove it to him!" Chuck counters, grasping at straws to keep the upper hand.

"How? You said it yourself the night at the club. No one knows about us. He may be able to forgive you for succumbing to your lesser urges, but he'll never believe you if he its your word against mine. I mean come on, I've never lied to him, and in fact he's the one that betrayed the relationship originally. He's already still living with that guilt. He'll look for any reason not to believe you, and he'll find a thousand when he compares our pasts. I win." Her voice was smug.

"What about that little blonde? She knows. "

"But she'll never tell him. She adores, and fears, me more then she fears you. I can make or break her at Constance. All you can do is sully her reputation."

"I can't believe this." Chuck whispers in defeat.

"I want to congratulate you on what was truly a very good scheme to ruin me and Nate. Sometimes I forget how brilliant that mind of yours actually is under all the deviousness. Unfortunately for you, you forgot whom you were messing with. I'll see you around." She shoots him one last smirk before she turns to leave.

As she walks down the hallway she sees Mr. Bass round the corner. Chuck's father is a stoic man of few words. He's one of the few people that actually intimidate the Upper East Side princess. She smiles warmly at him as he stops to greet her.

"Miss Waldorf, a pleasant surprise." He offers stiffly.

"Yes, I was just stopping by to speak to Chuck."

"Is he not here?"

"No, he is. We've finished our business, and I really should be going." Blair says as her society smile slips into place.

"Have a pleasant afternoon." Mr. Bass responds moving out of her path politely. He watches as the young woman he's seen grow up in front of his own eyes disappear behind the elevator doors. He turns and continues down the hallway to see his son.

"I ran into Blair in the hallway. She seemed to be in a hurry." Bart offers as he steps in front of his son, frowning as he notices the glass of scotch in his hand, but refusing to acknowledge Charles's activity.

"We had some business to discuss." Chuck responds coldly.

"So she said. I find myself wondering what business two teenagers could possible have together."

"Why do you care?" Chuck asks angrily.

"Miss Waldorf hasn't come by in a while." Bart notes, ignoring Chuck's outburst.

"How would you know? When are you ever here?"

"Listen Charles, I am your father…"

"Since when?" Chuck shouts.

"I didn't come here to get into an argument with you."

"Then what brought you here exactly? I thought we had an unspoken arrangement where we stay as far away from each other unless we're both at a society event."

"Charles don't be ridiculous. I wanted to talk to you about an internship at Bass Industries, but we can discuss that later. Right now, I want to talk about you and Miss Waldorf."

"Excuse me?" Chuck sputters. "Why do you wanna talk about me and Blair?"

"I was not oblivious to the fact that you and Blair were very…close over the summer."

"So, we're friends." Chuck said defensively.

"I was never the most attentive father…"

"That's for damn sure."

"But I'm not completely clueless to your life. I've seen the way you look at Blair since you were twelve years old and she started dating your friend."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"You love her, I can see that from the way she affects you."

"You don't know what you're talking about."

"Charles, can you please just listen, and let me try to be a good father for once."

"Fine." Chuck said as he leant back into his chair, his father sitting across from him.

"Blair always reminded me of your mother. They have that same spark, the same fire. The way I've seen you look at Blair, it's exactly the way I used to look at your mother."

"Father…"

"Please, just let me finish. I don't know what happened between you two. I'm not going to pretend that I understand your life or your relationships, but I do want to give you some advice, that if I had realized a long time ago, I would have been a much better man. We push them away Chuck, men like you and I. I know you hate to think it, but we are a lot a like. Emotions like love scare everyone, but for men like us it's so much worse. So we shut our selves down to them, but then there comes along a girl that's different. A girl that's special and she makes us feel those emotions that we hate and you have a choice. I spent so long pushing your mother away until I finally manned up enough to be with her. I have a lot of regrets in my life, I was never a good father to you, and I regret the time I spent alienating your mother. I don't want you to make the same mistakes I did. I wasted months not being with your mother because I was too stubborn and too proud. We had an amazing five years before she passed, but we could have had more. And when she died, I was cold and hard and I wasn't the man you needed me to be. She never got to hold you in her arms, and for so long I hated myself, because she was the one who deserved to live and take care of you."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"There is never enough time with women like Blair and your mother. You could spend a fifty years together and it still wouldn't be enough. Don't waist time not being with her because you're to afraid to deal with how you feel."

"Where is this coming from?" Chuck asked unable to process is fathers heartfelt speech. This was so out of Bart's character. They didn't talk, and they never had heart to hearts. Ever.

"Don't make the same mistakes I did."

"What if she doesn't love me?" Chuck asked, the fear of rejection creeping into his voice.

"You're a Bass." Bart said as if it explained everything and for them and a select few of Manhattan's elites it did.

Monday was worse than Chuck imagined it would be. He saw her prancing around the school still high off her victory. Nate was all over her every chance he got, Chuck couldn't even be in the same room as them anymore. Chuck walked through the hallways, deep in thought. His father's words had made everything so confusing. Was he supposed to just open up to her and tell her how he felt? She would laugh at him, or worse pity him. He didn't want anyone's pity and especially not that of the only girl he had ever cared about, respected, and…loved. But she didn't love him, she couldn't. Blair was perfect. Everyone, but her saw it. Even when she didn't try to be she was, even more so when she wasn't trying at all. How could someone so beautiful, and amazing ever love him. Then he spotted her, not Blair, the mousy little blonde that caught them. She had completed her transformation into one one of Blair's elite disciples. She stood leaning against a locker texting god knows who, probably another minion. Chuck moved in on her.

When she looked up from her phone Jenny was startled to see Chuck staring at her. She took an unconscious step back.

"What's your name again?" He asked smoothly.

"J…Jenny" The tiny blonde stuttered.

"I need to talk to Jenny, about what you saw at Blair's."

"I didn't see anything. I dropped off the dress; Blair was alone." Jenny blurted out the statement she had rehearsed a thousand times in her head.

"Blair's trained you well." Chuck noted. "But I really need to talk to you about that day."

"I don't know what you're talking about…and if I did I wouldn't talk to you about it. I'm not supposed to talk to you at all." The blonde huffed as she began walking away.

"Come now, Julie…"

"Jenny." The girl corrected him automatically, and then clamped her mouth shut."

"Right, Jenny. I know you think I want to ruin Blair, and yesterday that might have been true, but I'm a changed man now. You have to believe me."

"Rule seventeen, 'Never believe a Bass.'" Jenny quoted from Kati and Is's informal orientation.

"They have rules." Chuck mused.

"Yes, and by talking to you right now I'm breaking like five of them. Leave me alone, you'll get me in trouble."

"Now on any other day I'd take that as a challenge, but I really do need to talk to you. Just talk." Jenny stopped walking and turned to look at him.

"About what?"

"Now I know you're not as stupid as people think you are." Jenny pouted at his remark.

"I told you, I can't talk to you about Blair. I don't even know anything to talk about." Jenny lied, averting her eyes from Chuck's gaze as she did so.

"You're a terrible liar. I guess they don't teach the art of deception in Brooklyn. Tell me what you know, or I will make your life very unpleasant."

"So can Blair. Look she hasn't decided if she likes me yet, and spilling to you will definitely decide that for her. And not in the direction I want."

"I can make sure no one knows we ever spoke, or I can send Gossip Girl a tip that we're involved. How do you think Blair would like that?" Jenny looked up at him, fear evident in her eyes. "It wouldn't be that hard to get a picture of us in a compromising position."

"Please don't do that. I'm sure if you just talked to Blair you guys could work everything out."

"Tell me what you know Jenny." Chuck badgered.

"You don't get it, I can't tell you I promised!"

"Jenny, tell me or I will ruin you."

"Why can't you talk to Blair? Its not my place to tell you!" Jenny almost shrieked as she became increasingly flustered.

"Tell me what!"

"I CAN'T!"

"This is ridiculous! Do you want money? I noticed you wear a lot thrift store crap. A thousand bucks could buy you a lot of Manolos." Chuck said taking out his checkbook from his bag.

"You would pay me a thousand dollars just to tell you what Blair feels about you?" Jenny asked mystified.

"Yes I would. I'd pay more. Do you want more?" Jenny hesitated thinking over his offer.

"No I can't. I'm sorry."

"This is bullshit! Everyone has a price Jenny!"

"Look, she would kill me! I don't get you two at all. You both love each other, so why can't you just tell one another!" Jenny immediately realized her slip, both hands flying up to clasp her mouth shut."

"She said she loves me?" Chuck asked. Jenny just shook her head, her hands still clasped in place. "She loves me." Chuck looked at Jenny, smiling like the Cheshire Cat. "I'll messenger the check over to your apartment."

"You really don't have to do that." Jenny squeaked.

"You helped me, so I'm going to return the favor."

"Please, please don't tell her I told you." Jenny pleaded. "Me and my big mouth!" She scolded herself.

"This conversation never happened." Chuck smirked as he walked off in the other direction.

"Crap!" he heard Jenny exclaimed as she collapsed against a locker.

Hope you liked the chapter. Reviews are always appreciated!


	8. Chapter 8

Love. That changed everything; he'd hoped it wouldn't. He'd hoped he could outgrow her, get bored of her like he had with all the rest, but fate was too cruel. It was only fit that the only girl Chuck Bass had fallen in love with had been in love with his best friend. They were practically engaged really. Then she had come to him the night of his club opening, shrouded in darkness as she stepped out of the limo Chuck had rented for Nathaniel. Her matronly pale green frock fit snugly on her perfect figure. He had starred at her, only for moment before addressing her.

That night she let everything go; all her inhibitions, all her hang-ups. That night she was just Blair: free and entirely imperfect in the most perfect way. She stood before him on that stage and showed him the real Blair: the dark seductress, the fallen angel, the tortured sinner that had spent all her life masquerading as a saint. She laid her soul before him and bestowed upon him her most sacred gift, one she had coveted and protected for so long. She had given it to him and he had taken it easily. He had asked her permission, but it was just a formality. They had always had an unspoken bond; words were never needed.

And then he had had her, the perfect untouched princess. He knew the next day something was wrong, he hadn't gotten over her, she hadn't called him insistently like the others and their was the strangest feeling, an unsettling fluttering in the pit of his stomach. He had thought it was guilt, then like, then it had become clear what it truly was. Love. He had fallen for her; for her dark eyes, her perfect curls, her pouty lips, her sweet lies and her cruel manipulation. He had fallen for it all, but that hadn't mattered because she still wasn't his. Even when he marked her flesh with bite marks and hickies, she still wasn't his. She still belonged to Nathaniel. But not anymore. The truth was out, she loved him, the same way he had always loved her.

So, Chuck did what he always did when he wanted to find her and she was taking deliberate measures not to be found. He hopped in his limo and starred out the window searching as Arthur drove around the city. Twenty minutes later he spotted her, she truly had gone underground since he'd last seen her yesterday. She hadn't gone to school that day, a very un-Blair like thing to do, but there she was. Her dark glasses on and a scarf wrapped around her curls as se strolled into the park holding a loaf of bread in one arm and a Birkin bag in the other.

Arthur pulled up to the entrance of Central Park. Chuck downed the rest of his scotch before exiting the limo in search of the incognito brunette.

"Arthur, I'm not sure how long this is going to take, circle around the block until I call you."

"Of course, Mr. Bass" Answered Chuck's long time chauffer diligently.

Chuck approached her by the pond slowly, as if any sudden move would alert her to his presence and send her bounding off like a startled doe. She stood regally by the edge of the water delicately tearing off pieces of bread and dropping them into the clear pond. The ducks skimmed around the water collecting the morsels of food, Chuck could see the small smile that played on her lips as a small duckling scooped up her most recently dropped piece of bread.

Chuck cleared his throat uncomfortably, as he interrupted her most private ritual. She turned to him, not letting any emotion sow on her face. She slowly removed her glasses and scarf.

"I don't know why I bother trying to hide from you, you always end up tracking me down. Or should I say stalking me?"

"I needed to talk to you, and you weren't picking up your phone." Chuck answered.

"I turned it off. I needed a break from everything, I guess that was too much of a courtesy for you to give me."

"We need to talk."

"You keep saying that, and I keep telling you I have nothing to say."

"Blair, I'm tired of this."

"Why, I thought you loved the game. Besides, it's your turn. What's your next move? What blackmail have you prepared for this round?"

"I thought we could try honesty."

"That's a new game. Do you even know the rules?"

"I've been thinking about everything lately, and I wanted to apologize."

"For what?" Blair asked surprised. "I didn't think you knew how to apologize."

"When you came to me that day after Nathaniel came back, you started talking about relationships and couples and commitment and stuff and I freaked out. I lashed out at you because you had changed the circumstances of what we were doing and I hated you for it. I wasn't ready then, but I'm ready now."

"Ready for what?" Blair asked still in the dark.

"For all of this. For us."

"Chuck don't."

"When we were in fourteen you said that love made everything simple, but you were wrong. Love makes everything complicated and that's why these last couple weeks have been so hard."

"Stop, you're confused. You don't know what you're saying."

"Yes I do. I understand everything now. Everything I've been feeling, I get it now."

"Chuck just…"

"I know that what we feel when we're together, its not something that happens in a casual fling. The butterflies I get whenever I'm around you, they haven't gone away. And they're not because of the secret, and they're not because we're not supposed to be together. They're there because I love you. I love you, and I know you love me too."

"You don't know anything." Blair said her eyes beginning to tear up.

"Tell me I'm wrong. Tell me you love Nathaniel and not me. Tell me you want nothing to do with you, and I promise I'll leave you alone."

"I don't…I…"

"Say it. Say it and I'll stop harassing you. You can go back and live happily ever after with Nate."

"I…" Blair tried to force the words, but they only got caught in her throat, refusing to come out.

"Just say the words and I'll go…" Before Chuck could finish his sentence, Blair's lips were on his, crushing him with furious passion. Hot tears rolled down her cheeks as her hands latched onto the back of his head.

"I love you too." Blair whispered against his lips. Chuck's hands went to her waist pressing her firmly up against him. The stayed like that for what felt like an eternity. He never wanted to let her go, but the winds grew chilly. "I should go home." Blair said softly against his neck.

"I'll call Arthur" Chuck reached for his phone only to find an awaiting text. Before he could open it Blair spoke to him.

"That's ok, my place is just a couple blocks away. In this traffic it'd be faster to just walk."

"Ok, I'll walk you then." Blair starred at him with a peculiar expression.

"Ok… that would be nice." Blair answered, it was surreal seeing Chuck being totally not Chuck.

They walked in silence next to each other each taking awkward side-glances at one another. Their hands fell uncomfortably at their sides close to each other, each of them yearning to reach out and touch one another. They reached Blair's building all too quickly and were forced to part.

"Umm… so what exactly does this mean?" Chuck asked.

"I'm not entirely sure, but I do know I have to call Nate."

"That's right." Chuck sighed remembering Nathaniel, his best friend; whose girlfriend he'd kind of just stole.

"I'll call you later ok." Blair said before quickly kissing his cheek and going inside. She was not looking forward to her conversation with Nate.

"Bye." Chuck said as she walked past her doorman. Chuck grabbed his phone out of his pocket. The unopened text was still there. He clicked the open button only to discover it was a Gossip Girl blast, complete with pictures.

**Spotted, C and B locking lips in Central Park. B, did someone forget which Upper East Side hunk she was dating? How will N react when he hears of his ever-perfect gf's betrayal? But more importantly, how will the rest of the UES react to this infidelity to the classes. Of all people, B knows New Money and Old Money don't mix. Looking forward to the turf war in both of out elite school's tomorrow.**

**You Know You Love Me**

**XOXO**

**Gossip Girl**


	9. Chapter 9

Can't Keep a Waldorf Down

The elevator doors opened slowly and Blair made her way out of the elevator. Her head was spinning; everything was different now. She walked into her living room only to be taken a back when she saw the already waiting party.

Nate sat on her couch his body hunched over. His red, glassy eyes starred up at her with something so dark it seemed entirely out of place on the usually sunny, light-hearted boy.

"Nate, what are you doing here?" Blair asked shocked.

"How could you do this to me? After everything we've been through." Nate's voice was strangled as he forced out the words that had been plaguing his mind for the last half hour.

"Wh…what are you talking about?" Blair asked trying to play off the matter, praying he was referring to anything else.

"Why would you…" Nate couldn't even bring himself to say aloud what she had done.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Blair lied shifting uncomfortably under his broken stare.

"STOP LYING TO ME!" Nate screamed, exploding at Blair as he leaped up from the couch. His body was visibly shaking with rage. Blair jumped back in genuine fear. "DON'T PRETEND YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU DID! EVERYONE KNOWS BLAIR! EVERYONE!"

"I'm so sorry Nate, I didn't mean to hurt you." Blair took a step towards him, wanting nothing more than to comfort him.

"Get away from me!" Nate yelled walking to the other end of the room.

"Nate, you have to understand…" Blair was quickly cut off by Nate's razor sharp voice.

"I don't have to understand anything! You betrayed me, and with _Chuck_." Nate looked as if any moment he'd break into tears.

"I'm so sorry." Blair choked out, as sobs began to take hold of her.

"Just tell me one thing. Did you sleep with him?" Blair looked up at him blankly unable to bring herself to lie or tell the truth. "I can't believe you."

"Nate!" Bair sobbed.

"Don't. When he gets tired of you, and we both know he will, do not come crying to me. From this point on you don't exist as far as I'm concerned. And the next time you see Chuck tell him we're done. I hate both of you." Nate stormed past her. She wanted to reason with him, call him out on his hypocrisies, do anything, but stand there crying in front of him. But that was all she could do. They stood in awkward silence as he waited for the elevator doors to open. Blair couldn't turn and face him. She stood there silently weeping until the doors slid shut behind him.

Blair collapsed on the floor as a sob ripped threw her body, she sat there for a while just crying until the tears could no longer come, then she got up and went upstairs. Blair sat in her bed, she didn't want to talk to Serena or Chuck or even her dad. She just wanted to be alone with the crippling pain of knowing she had broken the most kind hearted boy she'd ever known, the first boy she had ever loved, her Nate.

"Blair! Blair!" Serena's voiced called as she quickly walked up the stairs to Blair's room. She whipped the door open and took in the sight of a puffy-eyed Blair. "Blair I've been calling you for the past two hours, why haven't you answered?"

"My phones off." Blair answered pulling herself into a sitting position.

"So you haven't seen the Gossip Girl blast?" Serena asked shocked.

"No, but I think I got the drift of it when Nate screamed at me for ten minutes straight."

"Oh Blair, I'm so sorry." Serena went to sit by Blair.

"Its fine, I kind of deserved it."

"I'm so sorry B. But I do have to ask, what the hell were you doing kissing Chuck?"

"I thought we were done, but I love him and he loves me."

"Blair, do you hear yourself? Love? Chuck? Those two words are never to be used in the same sentence!"

"It's complicated. You don't know him the way I do."

"Yeah I don't because I wasn't off screwing him in secret!"

"Hey! Why are you yelling at me?"

"Because I'm your best friend and I had to find out about you and Chuck from Gossip Girl!"

"Oh can you please not Serena the situation right now." Blair let out exasperatedly.

"Can I not what? Did you just use my name as a verb?" Serena questioned growing angry. "What exactly does it mean to Serena a situation?"

"Its when you make whatever's happening about you. You do it all the time. You're literally doing it right now."

"That is so rude! Well you know what, you totally Blair-ed this situation with Nate!" Blair groaned flopping her back down onto her bed. "To Blair something is when you lie to and manipulate everyone around you, and then in the end everyone is hurt and angry. _You_ do it all the time!"

"Are you done?" Blair asked aggravated.

"Yeah, completely!" Serena got up and stomped out of Blair's penthouse.

"Fantastic." Blair said to herself as she starred up at her ceiling.

The next mourning Blair woke up with a dark cloud over her head. Everything she had feared since that day in library had come true. Everyone in the school knew about her indiscretions with Chuck and already she was fighting with Serena and hated by Nate.

Blair stared at her navy uniform she had laid out last night, she had planned to keep a low profile today, but that was silly. It didn't matter how inconspicuous she acted, the moment her Manoalos stepped onto that campus every eye would be on her. Her dethronement would be up on Gossip Girl before first period, but Blair Waldorf was a phoenix. She would rise from the ashes of her demise and set the whole school on fire (metaphorically speaking). So that was why she decided to ditch her understated wardrobe for a bright red blazer, matching lipstick, shoes, and headband with her signature bow on it. If Blair was going to go down she would not go down meekly. She would not let the school see her as weak. She would make a statement and ensure to all that those who turned away from her would not go unpunished when she found her way back to the top.

She heard the whispers; she saw the looks she got as she marched up the Met Steps. It was abundantly clear that the entire population of both schools were there to see the power struggle.

Serena stood at the top of the stairs in deep conversation with Penelope and the other girls. She saw little Jenny Humphrey look at her with an unreadable expression. Relief? What was she relieved about? That she no longer had to keep Blair's secret? That Blair would be soon gone and she would be moving up in the ranks? Blair wasn't sure yet.

"Girls." Blair greeted, already in full bitch mode.

"Blair, that was quite the surprise yesterday. You and Chuck. I can't believe I had to hear about it from Gossip Girl." Penelope said smiling, but not viciously as Blair had expected. "I mean I knew you were an evil genius, but this plan was truly inspired!"

"Plan?" Blair said confused looking at Serena for guidance. The statuesque blonde nodded toward Blair with a small smile. "Oh right, my plan."

"I mean forgiving Nate and having him fall for you all over again and then revealing that you were sleeping with his best friend behind his back. An eye for an eye has never been so scandalous or so completely fantastic! Serena told us all about it. Truly inspirational."

"Well…I'm queen for a reason." Blair said raising her head and moving her shoulders back. She couldn't believe it. Blair Waldorf owned this school! "Girls can you give me and S a minute." It wasn't a question. Blair took Serena by the arm and led her to the top of The Steps. "Serena, what exactly did you tell them?"

"Just that after the whole drama with Nate last year, you decided to get back at him by sleeping with Chuck behind his back. Then you had Gossip Girl blog about it to humiliate him the way he humiliated you."

"Why? Why would you help me, I thought you were mad at me."

"B, just because we got into a stupid fight doesn't mean I'm gonna let you be dethroned. You'll always be my best friend no matter what."

"You'll always be mine." Blair smiled before hugging Serena.

"Besides, now that Nate knows St. Judes is gonna be a battle ground. We need a strong leader if we're gonna keep Constance together. And no one can keep bitchy teenage girls in line like Blair Waldorf."

"So true." Blair laughed before the pair rejoined the rest of the girls.

"B, there's Chuck." Kati said pointing to the devilishly handsome hotel heir as he walked toward The Steps.

"So what's your plan for Chuck? Are you going to ditch him?" Penelope asked with eager eyes.

"Actually I think I'll keep Chuck around. He's very useful, besides what's a Queen with out a King?" Blair sauntered down to Chuck who waited there eyeing her skeptically.

"Blair, I didn't think you'd want to be seen with me in public."

"Calm down, I'm still Queen. I think the blast might have actually empowered my position."

"Really?" Chuck asked both relieved and shocked.

"Did you doubt my control over my own minions?"

"Never." Chuck smirked.

"Good, because I've decided you're my new boyfriend and I can't be dating someone who doubts me."

"Well I'm glad to know you have such great authority over Constance and me."

"Oh I'm sorry, are you looking to move on to greener pastures?" Blair said with the raise of her eyebrow.

"I'm pretty content with the current pasture."

"So what do you say?"

"I say my girlfriend is the most powerful, hottest girl in school." Chuck pulled Blair into a close embrace.

"You do, do you?"

"Most definitely. I love you Blair Waldorf."

"I love you Chuck Bass." Chuck kissed Blair sweetly and quickly knowing how Blair felt about P.D.A. As he looked up he saw his best…his former best friend glaring at him from the St. Judes entrance. He'd never seen Nate filled with so much malice towards anyone and he'd never thought it would be towards him.

**Spotted, a Constance turf war? Nope. Seems we underestimated out Queen B and her powers of manipulation. She lives to rule another day. It seems we only have the St. Judes hierarchy to look to for some bloodshed. Word on the street is that come lunch all hell will have broken loose among our elites. You'll know when I do.**

**You Know You Love Me **

**XOXO**

**Gossip Girl**


	10. Chapter 10

Chuck couldn't help, but be nervous as he walked down the halls of St. Judes. Nate had looked furious. Beyond furious. He had looked like at any moment he was going to attack Chuck. Just as this thought floated through Chuck's mind he found himself being hurled against a row of lockers.

"What the hell!" Chuck yelled in frustration until he looked up and saw his assaulter had been Nate. "Fuck."

"I thought I'd avoid you, but then I realized kicking your ass would be a lot more therapeutic!" Nate spat.

"Look dude, I'm not gonna fight you."

"Good that'll make this easier." Nate's fist collided hard with the side of Chuck's face. Chuck fell down, grasping his nose as he leant against the locker. "Come on, get up!"

"I deserved that, what I did, how I did it, wasn't cool. I'm sorry I stole Blair, but I'm not gonna fight you! I know how long you and I have been friends…" Chuck got up slowly.

"Don't you dare look me in the eyes and say we were ever friends. I told you what she meant to me. God I was gonna propose after graduation!"

"Oh come on Nate, be serious."

"Excuse me!" Nate asked, wondering if Chuck was actually questioning him about this.

"I mean that never would have worked out."

"Yes it would have, that was always how it was supposed to be! It was our plan."

"It was your parent's plan, and a bad one at that. Being engaged would have never worked out. You guys have nothing in common. You weren't right for each other and now you have a chance to move on."

"Are you seriously trying to defend yourself? Do you want me to thank you for fucking my girlfriend behind my back?"

"Would you have preferred we do it in front of you." Nate sucker-punched Chuck in the eye.

"Shit! God Damn it! Ok I deserved that one too."

"You deserve a hell of a lot more! She was my future Chuck, my everything. And you just took her away. How could you do that to me?" Nate's eyes were glistening with unshed tears.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, but you have to understand…"

"Understand what? How can you possibly justify this!"

"I love her." Chuck whispered the private words he'd only ever said to Blair. Nate grabbed Chuck by the lapels of his jacket and threw him against the wall of lockers again.

"Don't you dare! Don't you dare stand there, look me in the eyes and tell me you love her! I LOVE HER! You're just using her for some sick game. What is it, to get bragging rights about sleeping with the Virgin Queen of Constance?"

"Of course not!"

"Like I'm gonna believe a single word you say. You're a sadistic bastard who uses and manipulates people to get what he wants without any regard for the collateral damage. And this time it's Blair. Well congratulations you've officially turned her into another one of your WHORES!" It was at that point something snapped in Chuck. Chuck threw all his weight behind his fist as it smashed into Nate's jaw.

"Screw you! How dare you talk about her that way! You never deserved her; you treated her like shit! You cheated on her with Serena and you ignored her for the past year! Just because you play perfect boyfriend for two weeks doesn't take back all the shit you put her through. You don't want to be my friend? I can't believe I could have ever considered being your friend!" Nate tackled Chuck to the floor; a series of painful blows were exchanged between the boys. Suddenly as Chuck delivered a punch to Nate's side he found himself being pulled off.

"Jesus, if you guys don't cut it out a teacher or headmaster's gonna get involved." Shouted Graham, an heir to a fortune five hundred company. He released Chuck as soon as both boys had calmed down. Nate was also let go by Lucas, the boy restraining him. "Your dead, do you here me!" Nate shouted pointing an accusatory finger at Chuck while he used his monogrammed handkerchief to wipe off the blood from his split lip. "This means war!"

"Bring it, I'll burry you!" Chuck hissed. Nate turned violently down the hallway followed by a small group of boys.

Blair starred in horror as Gossip Girl streamed a live video of Chuck and Nate beating the shit out of each other.

"Oh my f-ing god!" Blair screeched as she processed the video.

"Look at Nate! He's such a bad ass, he's totally winning." Kati said in morbid fascination as she and Is watched the feed from their phones.

"I don't know, Chuck totally just clocked Nate, I had no idea he knew how to fight!" Is said in awe.

"You two are terrible. I have to stop this." Blair put her phone in her bag and began to make her way to the St. Judes corridor.

"What are you doing?" Serena said grabbing Blair's arm and stopping her.

"I'm stopping them before they kill each other." Blair explained agitated.

"Don't you think you've done enough?"

"Thank you so much for that Serena. I'm well aware of the fact that I'm the reason two of my oldest friends, who used to share one of the most codependent bromances ever, now hate each other. That's exactly why I have to fix this!"

"Blair if you want them to get back to being friends you need to stay out of it. If Nate sees you around Chuck, its just gonna infuriate him even more."

"I can't just stand here and do nothing!" Blair shouted before storming off. Unfortunately, Blair arrived too late to the fight. As she crossed the courtyard to the entrance of St. Judes, Nate almost ran into as he stormed out, nursing his split lip. He starred at her with cold, angry eyes before walking around her as if she wasn't there. He was followed by a small group of soccer and lacrosse players, all of whom Blair knew were old money. Blair looked down at her shoes as they all walked by her each sending looks of scorn and residual shock.

Blair collected herself and continued into the hallway. Chuck was sitting next to a row of lockers, his head tilted up as he tried to stop his bloody nose. Blair pushed through the crowd of boys that surrounded him.

She knelt next to him and took his handkerchief from him. She folded it neatly and then gently held it to his still bloody nose.

"Oh my god Chuck are you ok?" Blair asked running her fingers through his hair.

"I'm fine, Blair." Chuck said roughly. He looked up into her warm, chocolate eyes. "Really, I'm fine Blair."

"I should take you to the nurse's office."

"No, I'm cool, besides me and the guys have to get to class." Chuck got up and threw his handkerchief away into a nearby trashcan.

"Ok, are you still giving me a ride home?"

"Of course." Chuck gingerly kissed Blair's lips, careful not to hurt his nose. "Bye."

"Bye." Blair said as she watched him walk off with his own group, mostly new money except for a few old money boys with questionable reputations. Yes as Blair watched their retreating figures it became painfully obvious what she had feared was happening…had happened. St. Judes had fallen and war had commenced.

**Attention Upper East Siders, war has erupted at St. Judes. Blood has been split and no one is safe. Its new money versus old money. Nate versus Chuck. Your favorite blogger is practically shaking with delight. The friendship that withstood eighteen years of scandals and gossip has finally cracked and what was the cause? Oh right, our very own Queen B is the face that brought down an empire. Hope she's worth it boys.**

**You Know You Love It**

**XOXO**

**Gossip Girl **

_I'm thinking of having Georgina make a quick guest appearance in the next episode to give an outsider's perspective as well as stir up some drama in Chuck and Blair's relationship. Let me know what you think._


	11. Chapter 11

Sorry for the late update. I hope you enjoy this chapter. Reviews are always appreciated!

Chapter 11: Mommy Dearest

Blair leaned back against the leather seats of Chuck's limo as it took her home. She turned her head to the side to look at him.

"Do you remember the last time we were in this exact position?" Chuck asked with his signature smirk.

"Shut up." Blair said as she rolled her eyes. "Is your eye ok?" Blair asked as she ran her cool fingers over his newly formed bruise.

"Its fine." Chuck said. "Do you want to come over to my suite tonight? We could have dinner."

"Sure." Blair smiled. The limo came to a stop in front of her penthouse. "I'll come over around seven."

"Ok." Chuck responded as Arthur opened the door for her and she stepped out.

Blair couldn't help, but smile as she strolled into her penthouse. Dinner with Chuck at his place, it was so grown up. So relationshipy.

"Blair?" Eleanor called from the living room.

"Yes mother?" Blair responded as she followed her mother's voice to the room. She hadn't thought she'd be home. Blair stepped through the arch of the doorway. Eleanor sat across from an occupied chair sipping tea.

"Mrs. Archibald stopped by. She was telling me all about a trip to Martha's Vineyard she's planning. She wanted to know if you'd like to come." Eleanor smiled. Anne turned around in her chair to smile warmly at Blair.

"Everyone's going to be there, my father, Tripp, Maureen, The Captain, and Nate of course. It's a family get together and I thought you should come since you're going to be the newest edition to the fold."

Blair starred blankly at Anne. 'Had Nate really not told her they broke up?' She understood not sharing the reason why, but not at all?

"Umm…I'm sorry I don't think I can attend. Me and Serena already made plans for the break." Blair lied.

"I'm sure you can reschedule them." Eleanor said sternly.

"No, its fine. You should have fun with your girlfriends. You have many years to come of these boring family gatherings." Anne said sweetly. "Oh, the time got away from me. I really should get going. Thank you for the tea Eleanor. Anne hugged Eleanor and then turned to Blair. "I hope you have fun over the break. You should come for dinner some time this week, I feel like Nate is keeping you all to himself."

"Umm…" Blair mumbled.

"She'd love to." Eleanor cut in sending Blair a reprimanding look. Anne exited the penthouse gracefully. "Blair what are you thinking? Martha's vineyard is the perfect place to cement that future proposal. You will call Anne tonight and say you'd be overjoyed to join her and Nate at the Vineyard."

"I will not." Blair snipped as she began to walk toward the stairs.

"Excuse me?"

"I can't go to Martha's Vineyard with their family because Nate and I broke up."

"Excuse me." Eleanor asked in annoyance. "Is this another one of those silly little breaks you two had over the summer. Just apologize for whatever it is that you did and everything will be fine."

"I'm not apologizing."

"And why not?"

"Because I don't want to get back together with Nate. In fact I'm seeing someone else."

"Oh really?" Eleanor asked in disbelief.

"Yes."

"And who would that be?"

"Chuck Bass." Blair stated squaring her shoulders to Eleanor.

"Excuse me!" This time the words were shouted in anger.

"You heard what I said."

"I must not have, because it sounded like you said you were seeing Charles Bass."

"That's what I said."

"You are not aloud to date Charles Bass!"

"You don't get to tell me who I can and can't date! I'm not going to let you control me any more!"

"Have you gone mad? That boy is heinous. Every other day he's in the society pages for some scandal or another."

"I don't care about that."

"Well I do. You are a Waldorf!"

"I'm so tired of you saying that like it's an excuse to make all my decisions for me."

"Do you understand what a boy with that kind of reputation will do to yours? Clubs, charity boards none of them will accept you. He will ruin everything I have worked so hard for!"

"Do you hear yourself? Everything you've worked so hard for? I'm not your property. I'm not a chess piece you can just move around the board for your own benefit! I'm your daughter. You should be more concerned with my happiness, not your personal agenda!"

"When you are a Van der Bilt and everyone in society is fighting for _your _approval you will be happy."

"I don't love Nate! Not anymore."

"And what does love have to do with marriage?"

Blair starred at her mother astonished by her statement. Without another word she went up the stairs, grabbed a new outfit, and fled the penthouse for Serena's.

The elevator opened before Blair revealing the penthouse. The last time she had been here she had been telling off Chuck. Now she was here to have dinner with him as his…girlfriend. It was all so surreal. She stepped into the entryway to find Chuck already waiting with a miserable look on his face.

"Chuck? What's wrong?"

"I'm so sorry." He stated gravely.

"For what?" Blair asked, fear creeping into her voice.

"My father…he'll be joining us for dinner." Chuck choked out.

"Is that all?" Blair asked in relief.

"You're not mad?"

"Why would I be? He's only your father. Honestly I'm surprised that he agreed to have dinner with us."

"Actually it was his idea."

"Really? Why would he want that?"

"He's kind of the reason we got together. He…likes you." Blair starred at him in surprise, Mr. Bass had never shown any opinion, favorable nor bad, toward Blair at all. She didn't think he liked anyone.

"Well, I guess its good one of our parents supports us being together."

"What does that mean?"

"Nothing, we'll talk about it later." Blair said as she followed Chuck into the dining room.

The rarely used dining room of the Bass Penthouse was filled with the sound of silverware scraping against china as the three sat in silence. Blair kept looking up at Chuck pleading for him to do something, say something that would make this whole evening less awkward. As she reached over for the salt Bart cleared his throat loudly. Both of the teenagers' eyes darted up to the intimidating man.

"So, am I to assume you two are dating?"

"Yes sir." Blair answered politely.

"That's good."

"Really?" Blair asked still not believing she had the Bart-Bass seal of approval.

"Yes, I think you'll be a good influence on Chuck. Help him sort out his future. I mean just yesterday he apl…"

"I don't think now is the time to talk about that." Chuck cut in side glancing at Blair as he stopped his father.

"Very well." Bart nodded. "But do know you're always welcome in our home." Bart said uncomfortably as he readjusted his tie. The realization came to Blair the Mr. Bass was not accustomed showing warmness to anyone. He and Chuck had always had a cold relationship until now.

"Thank you for that gracious offer. I think I bring out the best in Chuck, but I think he also brings out the best in me. Its nice to have someone who supports us." Blair said with a small smile.

"Well…you know. Your welcome." With that Bart got up very suddenly. "Please excuse me, I'll let you two enjoy the rest of your dinner."

When he left Chuck turned to Blair and let out the breath he'd been holding all dinner. "That was awful."

"What are you talking about? It wasn't the most relaxed and comfortable dinner, but I think your dad was really trying."

"I'm just glad he had a conference call with California already set up."

"I think it's nice. That he's trying I mean."

"So things didn't go well with Eleanor then?"

"That is the understatement of the century."

"You can stay here tonight." Chuck offered, his smirk back in place.

"And ruin your father's perfect image of me? No, plus I think staying here would just make things at home worse."

"I'll call the car." Chuck sighed sadly as he realized he would not be spending the night with Blair.

The penthouse was dark as Blair walked in and she prayed her mother was out or asleep. She walked up the stairs gingerly praying that she could just go to bed without another fight breaking out.

"Where have you been?" Eleanor asked icily, almost appearing out of thin air.

Blair jumped back clutching her heart as Eleanor came out of her room. The light from the open door illuminated her face and Blair could see her mother in no way was happy.

"Since when have you ever cared where I went?"

"Since you started dating boys that I had to worry about."

"You don't have to worry about Chuck, at least he never cheated on me."

"What are you talking about?" Eleanor asked her anger slightly resolving.

"Why do you care? There are no society women around or a journalist from the New York Times. You don't have to play the loving and doting mother anymore."

"This is exactly what I'm talking about. You would never have even dared to talk to me that way before you started seeing Charles Bass. You're acting like some sort of rebellious teenager."

"I am a teenager! God why can't you ever realize that I'm seventeen years old and not one of the girls from the club."

"This isn't you Blair. The way you're acting."

"This is me mom, you don't recognize it because you never stick around in the city long enough to actually get to know me! Maybe Chuck is changing me, because for once I'm not content to just sit back and watch other people control my life."

"Go to your room!" Eleanor shouted the foreign line. Blair just scoffed at her before slamming her bedroom door behind her loudly.

[Two Weeks Later]

"So are things any better?" Chuck whispered against the crook of Blair's neck as they lay underneath his sheets their bodies intertwined.

"Not even a little. We have resolved to not even speaking, so I guess you could call that improvement." Blair sighed as her fingers ran up and down Chuck's chest.

"Does she really hate me that much?" Chuck asked sadly. Eleanor had loved Nate. Nate was perfect. Chuck was well…Chuck.

"I don't think its really about her not liking you, as much as it is her liking the Van der Bilt name and hating me no longer being the dutiful daughter."

Chuck sighed before letting Blair go and sitting up. "Maybe you made a mistake, picking me over Nate. Apart from my dad, everyone in the world thinks we make no sense."

"That's not true. Serena has come around, and the girls. Well they just love the drama at school right now."

"Things would be a lot easier for you if we weren't together. Maybe this whole thing is just a bad idea."

"Don't say that." Blair pulled his face so that he was looking at her. "Do you love me?"

"Yes, you know…"

"And I love you so nothing about this could be a bad idea. Eleanor maybe my mother, but you're my family." Chuck intertwined their fingers and brought them to his lips kissing her fingers softly.

"And you're mine, so nothing can tear us apart." He whispered.

"Nothing." Blair smiled softly.

However across the city stepping through the sliding door exit of JFK came a girl who had not been seen or spoken about in over two years. She took off her sunglasses and looked up at the tall buildings, then the busy streets. This had once been her playground, and she so dearly loved to play games.

"Ms. Sparks, your limo is ready." Said an elderly man that took her luggage from her. "Am I to take you to your parents home?"

"Actually, I rented a room at The Palace." She said as a wicked smile formed on her face.

Reviews! Also please check out my newest story- Happiness isn't on the Menu.


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